Snow and Ice Control

At the beginning of November each year, the City of Lethbridge Transportation Operations commences its winter snow and ice control coverage.  Many Lethbridge residents are wondering what kind of winter we will have this year.  Will it be as severe as last year?  The City of Lethbridge has made significant changes to its operating procedures that will help keep residents moving this winter. 

 

Winter road maintenance is done according to a City Council approved Snow and Ice Control Policy priority system.  The Snow and Ice Control priorities are based upon the following criteria: traffic speed, topography and traffic/pedestrian volumes. These priorities are reviewed, updated annually, and shown on our Priority Maps. 

 

We are fortunate to have gentle winters in our region.  As a result, not everyone remembers that you need to modify your driving in the winter in order to drive safely.

 

There are many Winter Driving Tips that can help you drive safely this winter.  Slow down and leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front of you.  Remember to look ahead so that you can identify and prepare for dangerous situations that you may come upon before you reach them.

 

When driving down hills such as Whoop Up Drive, shift down to the next gear before you descend and let your engine do some braking for you so that you don’t pick up too much speed and then have to apply the breaks suddenly to slow down.

 

Also we ask that you leave plenty of room for our snow plows, graders and sanding trucks.  Don’t pass the plows and graders while they are working, it’s not safe to do so.  If you give us room to work, we can get the job done faster for you!

 

Ice Control is conducted as necessary to improve traction and is based on pavement temperature and atmospheric conditions. The City has added "pre-wetting" capability to our sanding tracks so that the sand and salt we apply to the roadways will be more effective under varying weather and road conditions.
 
To help with snow removal efforts, the City has: